Internal combustion engine featuring axially and opposingly arranged units

Abstract

An internal combustion engine consisting of one ore more individual pairs of units. Each pair of units form a separate sub-assembly and each unit is arranged in axially spaced and opposing fashion relative to one another. Each of the unit pairs further includes a piston movable within a cylinder and a connecting rod extending therefrom. One or more arms extend from each of the connecting rods, the arms are each guidably and rotatably restrained by a substantially spiral shaped and curved pattern defined within a unit housing. Each connecting rod terminates in an axially open and interiorly hollowed sleeve which is axially reciprocated and rotated. A unit shaft includes an upper end journaled within the associated sleeve. The sleeve is independently axially reciprocatable, while rotatably constrained to the associated unit shaft. The unit shafts each connect to an opposite facing side of a sub-assembly gear, through an associated clutch and/or synchronization system. A main gear and, optionally, intermediate transition gears are operatively engaged with the sub-assembly gear and in turn drive a main gear and main shaft of the engine.

I claim:  
     
         1 . An internal combustion engine, comprising: 
 at least one pair of units arranged in axially spaced and opposing fashion, each of said units including a piston movable within a cylinder and a connecting rod extending therefrom;    a unit shaft operatively connected to each of said unit connecting rods;    a mechanism for converting a reciprocating output of said connecting rod to a continuous rotation of said unit shaft; and    said unit shaft connecting to a side of a sub-assembly gear, a main gear being operatively engaged with said sub-assembly gear by a synchronizing mechanism and in turn operating a main shaft of the engine.    
     
     
         2 . The engine as described in  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of individual pairs of units arranged in operatively engaging fashion with a main gear associated with said main shaft.  
     
     
         3 . The engine as described in  claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of transition gears interconnecting said sub-assembly gears with said main gear.  
     
     
         4 . The engine as described in  claim 1 , said converting mechanism further comprising: 
 at least one arm extending from said connecting rod, said arm being guidably and rotatably retrained by a substantially spiral shaped and curved pattern defined within a housing associated with said unit; and    said connecting rod being engaged with said unit shaft so as to be both independently reciprocated and rotatively constrained with said unit shaft.    
     
     
         5 . The engine as described in  claim 4 , further comprising a hollowed sleeve independently reciprocating and rotatively constrained to an upper end of said unit shaft, axially extending and inter-engaging grooves being established between mating surfaces of said sleeve and said unit shaft.  
     
     
         6 . The engine as described in  claim 4 , said spirally shaped and curved pattern further comprising a projecting rail, each of said extending arms further including a pair of rollers, each of said rollers engaging an opposite facing surface of said projecting rail.  
     
     
         7 . The engine as described in  claim 4 , said spirally shaped and curved pattern further comprising a projecting rail, each of said extending arms further including a pair of opposing and configured sliding shoes, each of said shoes engaging an opposite facing surface of said projecting rail.  
     
     
         8 . The engine as described in  claim 4 , said spirally shaped and curved pattern further comprising a recessed rail, each of said extending arms further including at least one roller guidably restrained within an inner annular surface of said housing.  
     
     
         9 . The engine as described in  claim 8 , further comprising a pair of rollers, each of said rollers engaging an opposing surface defining said recessed rail.  
     
     
         10 . The engine as described in  claim 4 , said spirally shaped and curved pattern further comprising a recessed rail, each of said extending arms further including a pair of configured shoes, each of said shoes being arranged in an opposite facing and channeled fashion to abut against a selected and inwardly facing surface defining said recessed rail.  
     
     
         11 . The engine as described in  claim 4 , said substantially spiral shaped and curved pattern further establishing a continual succession of cylinder cycles corresponding to a suction cycle, a compression cycle, a power output cycle, and an exhaust cycle.  
     
     
         12 . The engine as described in  claim 11 , further comprising each of four stages establishing a substantially identical rotational distance traveled by said associated unit shaft.  
     
     
         13 . The engine as described in  claim 11 , further comprising modified stroke cycles in which said suction, compression, exhaust and power output cycles can each be of different length.  
     
     
         14 . The engine as described in  claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of individual pairs of units arranged in operatively engaging fashion with said main gear and main drive shaft.  
     
     
         15 . The engine as described in  claim 14 , further comprising an offset in completion time established in the completion of each stroke cycle of each unit.  
     
     
         16 . The engine as described in  claim 4 , further comprising an eccentric connection established between said connecting rod and said extending arms, said connection permitting small rotational and translational misalignments occurring between said rod and said arms.  
     
     
         17 . The engine as described in  claim 1 , further comprising internally extending and lubricating channels established within said pistons and connecting rods associated with each of said units.  
     
     
         18 . The engine as described in  claim 4 , further comprising a plurality of lubrication channels established between said hollowed sleeve and said units.  
     
     
         19 . An internal combustion engine, comprising: 
 a plurality of individual pairs of units, each of said pairs of units forming a separate sub-assembly and so that each individual pair of units is arranged in axially spaced and opposing fashion, each of said unit pairs further including opposing pistons movable within cylinders of the first and second units accordingly, and first connecting rods extending from said cylinders associated with said units;    at least one arm extending from each of said connecting rods, said arms each being guidably and rotatably restrained by a substantially spiral shaped and curved pattern defined within a housing associated with each unit, said connecting rod each terminating in a downwardly open and interiorly hollowed sleeve which is both axially reciprocated and rotated;    a unit shaft associated with each of said individual units, each of said shafts including an upper end journaled within an associated sleeve, said sleeve being independently axially reciprocated while rotatably constrained to said unit shaft, said shafts each connecting to an opposite facing side of a sub-assembly gear, a synchronizing mechanism associated with said unit shaft and with said sub-assembly gear and in turn operatively engaging said unit with said sub-assembly gear for driving a main drive shaft of the engine.    
     
     
         20 . An internal combustion engine, comprising: 
 at least one pair of units arranged in axially spaced and opposing fashion, each of said units further including at least one piston movable within an associated cylinder;    a connecting rod extending from each of said pistons;    force conversion means associated with said cylinder for generating a continuous rotational output of each connecting rod extending from said cylinder;    a unit shaft operatively connected to a unit connecting rod; and    said unit shafts connecting to opposite sides of a sub-assembly gear, a main gear operatively engaged with said sub-assembly gear and in turn driving a main drive shaft of the engine.    
     
     
         21 . The engine as described in  claim 20 , further comprising: 
 a pair of spaced apart pistons arranged within each associated cylinder head and interconnected by said connecting rod;    a substantially spiral shaped and curved pattern being defined within an inner facing surface of said cylinder, said connecting rod further including at least one extending arm guidably restrained along said pattern; and    said connecting rod terminating in an axially extending and open sleeve, an upper end of said unit shaft being journaled within said open end of said sleeve so that said sleeve is both independently axially reciprocal and rotatably constrained relative to said shaft.    
     
     
         22 . An internal combustion engine, comprising: 
 a single unit;    said unit including a piston moveable within a cylinder and a connecting rod extending therefrom;    a unit shaft operatively connected to said unit connecting rod;    a mechanism for converting a reciprocating output of said unit connecting rod to a continuous rotation of said unit; and    said unit shaft connecting to a side of a unit gear, a main gear being operatively engaged with said unit gear by a synchronizing mechanism and in turn operating a main shaft of the engine.